What would I like to accomplish in the Year of Our Lord 2026?
I want to be on Blogger/Blogspot daily—coding, writing, and creating content.
I want to make enough from reselling and content creation that it could reasonably be considered a full-time income.
Which raises an obvious question: what is the bare minimum that can be considered a full-time income? That goalpost seems to shift constantly thanks to inflation, so I don’t have a clear number yet.
On a completely related note, Trump’s tariffs have ruined my life because I can no longer order adorable little things from Temu for super duper cheap. I know that sounds dramatic, but it genuinely feels that way sometimes.
Another thing that ruined my life? My local Goodwill is merging with another Goodwill, and in the process, they have ended Dollar Day.
This is devastating.
After tariffs ruined my life, Dollar Day at Goodwill was a balm to my pain. And now that has been taken away too.
Capitalism will destroy every good thing in my life.
Do I sound dramatic?
Yes, I do.
Is this really how I feel in this moment?
Yes, it is.
Will I feel the same tomorrow?
Not exactly the same, but I will still mourn the fact that tariffs increased the prices of things I love and that Goodwill canceled Dollar Day for no good reason.
Is there nowhere left in the world where you can buy something for just one dollar? That light, wonderful feeling of, “I think I’ll love this—but even if I don’t, it’s just a dollar, so it’s totally worth the risk.”
Fun, easy, low-pressure shopping for things you don’t need but that make you smile. I crave that. I miss it already.
This is the heart of Cozy Cottage Finds. It’s my small, hyper-local resale project where I source secondhand and low-cost items—mugs, sweaters, little bits of beauty—and pass them along at prices that still feel accessible. The magic only works if I can find things cheaply enough to keep prices low and leave room for curiosity, whimsy, and the joy of taking a low-stakes chance on something you might love.
So, goals for 2026.
I want to find shopping experiences that give me the same rush of joy and fulfillment as pre-tariff Temu and the dearly departed one-dollar Fridays at Goodwill (may they rest in peace).
I’ve been researching thrift stores, bin stores, and major discount stores in the Kansas City metro area. I have some ideas and some places I want to visit. Still, I’ll deeply miss being able to drive down the street to my neighborhood Goodwill for Dollar Day.
Which brings me to my first real, concrete goal for 2026.
Let’s make a list.
- Discover new bargain shopping experiences for sourcing inventory.
- List 3–5 items weekly on Facebook Marketplace.
- Hold weekly self-serve front stoop sales, weather permitting.
I also need to keep records.
This is absolute drudgery for me, but if I want Cozy Cottage Finds to be a real business, I need to treat it like one. That means tracking expenses and revenue and paying taxes on profits.
The concept is exhausting, but it’s essential. My goal is to keep tracking and accounting as simple and straightforward as possible.
Next on the docket: content creation.
I want to put myself out there on the internet. This is difficult for me for many reasons, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do—and attempted—on and off for years. Creating content for Cozy Cottage Finds feels like a good place to start.
So let’s revise the list one final time.
- Discover new sourcing opportunities for Cozy Cottage Finds.
- List 3–5 items weekly on Facebook Marketplace.
- Hold weekly self-serve front stoop sales.
- Create public social media content to promote Cozy Cottage Finds.
This feels like more than enough to focus on for now.
I’ll continue thinking through my goals and write another post if more clarity—or chaos—emerges.
Wishing you joy and fulfillment, gentle reader.
Warmly,
Hannah